Bookmarker



Dec. 28, 1948. J. w. HAMILTON 2,457,662

BOOKMAHKER Filed Sept 29, 1945 2 7 INVENTOR. do: !4 f/QM/LTON q w %w/7Mmzri v I 67?). g

Patented Dec. 28, 1948 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I v 2,457,662

, noonmankan; Joe W. Hamilton, West Los Angeles, Calif.. Application September 29,1i)45, Serial No. 619,359

This invention relates to a book-marker.

In connection with various study and reference courses it is often desirable to mark a reference book at a plurality of places so that after the markers have been positioned in the book the differentquotations may be found readily, and may be read in sequence. This procedure is often followed where a reference book is used for daily readings and in which portions of the bookare read on succeeding days over an extended period of time. In such practice it is desirable to provide a book-marker having a body member adapted to be fixed to the book and which body member receives a plurality of page markers which are removable separately and are interchangeable.

It is known that heretofore book-markers have been made, but for the most part they have been cumbersome and have interposed-marking elements between the pages which have tended to break the binding. It is the principal object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a bookmarker adapted to be easily mounted with relation to the back of the book and which will receive interchangeable and detachable marking elements designed to lie flat between the pages without placing an undue strain upon the binding. The present invention contemplates the provision of a book-marker which includes a pair of ing one of the pockets with a back-board inserted thereinto.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, ID

I indicates a bound book having the usual binding pockets to receive the two outer backs of the book,

member with the pocket portions detached there from and indicating the position of one of the markers associated with the body member.

Fig. 3 is a view in plan as seen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and indicates the relationship of the pockets to the body member and their articulate connection.

Fig. 4 is a view in central section as seen on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and shows one of the markers and the manner in which it is associated with the body member.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation as seen on the line 55 of Fig. 3, showing the formation of one of the pockets and a back-board of the binding inserted thereinto. I

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view inelevation showand a pair of back-boards II. The binding, of

course, carries leaves I2 which are held between an outer wall I6 and an inner Wall II, the edges of which are secured together by a marginal joint or seam I8. It may be desirable to form the entire structure of a synthetic resin product such as sheet Vinylite. If such material is used, the

joint I8 may be formed by the application of heat, and pressure to the adjoining faces, since the material is thermoplastic in character. The sheets I6 and I! may be stiff, or have any desired degree of flexibility. The pocket structures formed by the sheets are articulately connected to the body member I3 by a hinge strip I9 which may be formed of the same material as the sheets I B and II, but which is flexible in character. Hinge strip I9 passes entirely over the back of the body member I3. This body member comprises a substantially rigid sheet 20 of Vinylite or the like, which is of a length greater than the height of a book. Secured at the opposite ends of the backing sheet 20 are locking devices 2 I. These elements are substantially oval in plan contour, thus providing a curved back face 22 to receive the backing strip 20 and to hold the backing strip in substantial conformity to the binding of the book. The 0pposite side of each of the members 2! has an arcuate face 23 so that the members 2| overhang the ends of the bound pages of the book. Locking members 2| are formed with parallel plates 24 and 25 which are spaced from each other to form a transverse intermediate slot 26. This slot lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the ends of the sheets I2. The plate portions 24 and 25 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, are formed with arcuate slots 21 concentric to the outer contour surfaces 23. The two plates of each of the locking devices 2| are held together by a solid back 28' with which they are integrally molded. The transverse slots .26 and the arcuate slots 21 of each of the locking units are provided to receive the ends of book-markers 29. These markers are preferably formed of sheet Cellophane and have a hat longitudinal center portion 30 which agrees substantially in length with the height of a page I2. The opposite ends of the portion 30 are curved as indicated at 3| in Fig. 4, and then continue in portions 32 which are at right angles to the length of portions 30. The portions 32 .overhang and clear the upper and lower edges of the pages I2. These portions terminate in T locking elements 33. The elements are formed by cutting grooves 34 and 35 in the opposite edges of the portion 32 to produce oppositely extending tangs 3B and 31 and an intermediate portion 38.

By reference to Fig. 4 of the drawing it will be seen that the width of the portions 32 of the markers 29 is greater than the width of the transverse slot 26 of a locking element 2I. It will also be observed that the width of the portion 38 agrees subtantially with the width of the transverse slot 26. Thus by twisting the ends of the flexible markers 29, the tangs 36 and 31 may be passed through the transverse slots 26 and will engage the forward faces of the arcuate slots I 21. This makes it possible to quickly assemble the markers with the body member I3, or to remove them when desired. Each of the members 29 carries a lead marker 39. These markers extend at right angles to the portion 30 of the member 29 and lie across the page of the book to extend beyond the edge of the page so that the lead markers can be readily observed and selected. These markers preferably carry indicia upon them so that a desired lead mark may be selected.

It is to be understood that while in the previous description it is indicated as being desirable to use plastic materials for all of the parts of the structure, save the markers which are made preferably of nitrocellulose products, it is obvious that the parts may be made of any other suitable materials.

In operation of the present invention a book is prepared by folding the back-boards I I so that they may be inserted in the pockets I 4 and I5, and so that the body member I3 and the pockets I4 and I5 will provide a suitable cover for the book. When this has been done the locking members 2I will occur at the top and bottom of the book and will overhang the pages of the book in an area adjacent to the binding. The various pages may then be selected and one of the markers 29 may be lockedin the binder by introducing the tangs 36 and 31 through the transverse slots 26 and then turning them at right angles to the length of the slots so that the markers will interlock therewith as shown in Fig.4.

It should be explained that the markers may be made with the lead markers 39 disposed at different points along the length of the portions 30. This separates the markers and makes it possible for them to be separately and easily observed. When the markers are placed as previously described, it will be seen that they only separate contiguous pages by a thickness represented by the thin sheet of material from which the markers are made, and that there will not be any thickness in close proximity to the binding of the pages. This is due to the fact that the lengths, 32 of the markers 29 are selected to dispose the portion 30 in spaced relation to the binding and thus prevent a spreading action which would take place if the markers were close to the binding and the binding was, in efiect, pried apart when the book is closed,

Attention is directed to the fact that the opposite shoulders of the grooves 34 and 35 in the markers engage the locking members 2| in a manner to hold the portions 32 against inward or outward movement with relation to the looking members. This causes the longitudinal lengths 30 of the markers 2| to be maintained parallel to the binding of the book so that there will not be any possibility of wedging the member 30 between the pages close to the binding. This, of course, would result in putting a strain on the binding which might break it. It is also to be pointed out that the locking members 2I overhang the edges of the binding and that the arcuate slots 21 and their outer surfaces 23 are curved to dispose the portions 30 of the markers in spaced relation to the binding of the pages.

It will be understood that when the book is open the webbing and the binding of the pages will flex outwardly to assume a convexed position Where it had previously assumed a concaved position when the book was closed. The convexed position of the binding will substantially agree in curvature with the arcuate slots 21. This will not only maintain the portions 30 of the markers 29 in spaced parallel relation to the binding, but will also insure that the ends of the marker portions 39 will properly project beyond the edges of the pages of the book when the book is opened and when it is closed.

It will thus be seen that the structure here disclosed provides a simple book cover and marker structure in which a plurality of places may be designated in a book by simple interchangeable means without damage to the binding of the book.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art, without depart-- ing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz. comprising a removable.

1. A book-marker cover including a pair of pocket members, each to receive a back-board of a bound book, means extending across the binding on the outside of the book cover to articulately connect said pocket members, a rigid body member carried by said articulate means and extending the length of the binding and beyond the opposite ends thereof, locking members, one fixed to each of said extensions, and overhanging the bound edges of the leaves, each of said locking members haVing a slot therein extending transversely of said.

body member with an enlarged recess in the back thereof, a plurality of relatively thin, flexible ing members on opposite sides of said slots in said recesses.

2. A device of the character described for receiving a book and marking the pages thereof,

comprising an outer cover structure having pockets within which the backs of the book are detachably secured, said cover structure extending a distance beyond the opposite ends of the book,

a pair of locking members secured to said oppo site end extensions of the cover structure and: overhanging the bound portion of the pages, each of said locking members comprising an arcuate 5 wall formed with an intermediate slot lying in a plane parallel to the upper and lower ends of the pages, said slot in each of said members communicating with an arcuate recess in rear of said wall, and a plurality of marker members each characterized as having a longitudinal portion to extend between the pages of the book and ofiset end portions extending in the direction of the locking members whereby the longitudinal portions of each of said marking members will be spaced a desired distance from the binding, the terminating ends of said offset portions being resilient and formed with a pair of opposite recesses forming T-shaped ends, said ends bein designed to be distorted to extend through the slots in said locking members and to be engaged in said arcuate recesses by said walls contiguous said slots to be held temporarily in articulate connection with the locking means, and index members extending laterally from and forming a part of said marking members.

JOE W. HAMILTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of j this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

